"The program of developing MiG-29SMT planes will be continued, including for the purpose of checking effective destruction by new and promising armament systems. The experience gained in Syria will be taken into account during the operation of these aircraft, and will also be introduced as part of the work to develop new MiG aviation platforms, including the MiG-35," the chief designer said.

A batch of MiG-29SMT aircraft was sent to the Hmeymim air base in Syria in September for testing, the chief designer said. Korotkov is heading the UAC’s delegation at the Hmeymim air base to analyze the results of using these aviation complexes in the Russian air task force’s operation in Syria.

"The participation of new aviation complexes in sorties makes it possible to confirm their reliability and efficiency and assess the operation of onboard radio-electronic equipment and armament," the chief designer said.

Over two months and a half of their operation, the MiG-29SMTs have carried out over 140 sorties, accomplishing the missions of destroying terrorists’ infrastructure. As the UAC chief designer said, MiG-29SMT aircraft "performed the combat assignments of hitting terrorists’ bases autonomously and also jointly with Su-34 and Su-35 planes." He added that MiG-29SMT had also accomplished missions to escort Tupolev Tu-22M3 strategic missile bombers.

"The MiG-29SMT has shown mobility and simplicity in operation while demonstrating high combat efficiency. The check of combat capabilities of the modernized MiG-29SMT frontline fighter has confirmed the workability of the regimes of using aircraft bombs, smart bombs and air-to-surface missiles with the accuracies complying with the technical specifications for the aviation complex and also surpassing them," the chief designer said.